TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE

DEVOTIONAL

by Sandra Chua

Do you have diaries or journals? I love diaries and journals. I mean the notebooks themselves, especially when they are new. I would eagerly fill up the first few pages but promptly forget them until something interesting happened. I seldom read them, but when I do, it feels like watching beautiful reruns of movies. I regret not writing more often. As I age, there are memories that get muddled and events that get jumbled. 

Today’s passage recalls God’s goodness to Israel during the time they left Egypt. It recounts God’s power through the ten plagues and His miraculous provisions in the desert. God rescued Israel after being enslaved by the Egyptians for 400 years. He sent darkness for three days, immobilizing the Egyptians such that the Egyptians were not able to move, whilst the Israelites had light as usual. He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die. He sent hoards of frogs, even in the chambers of their kings. God spoke, and there came swarms of flies and gnats throughout Egypt. God gave them hail for rain and fiery lightning bolts through their land, but it affected only the enemies of Israel and did not harm the Lord’s people. God sent locusts without number, covering the land like a thick blanket devouring all the vegetation in their land. Finally, He struck down all the firstborns in their land. The firstborns of the Egyptians, from Pharoah down to the lowly slave, died in synchrony. God made Israel’s cruel masters so eager to get rid of them that they gave them parting gifts of so much silver and gold; it was like plunder.

Coincidence? Acts of nature? Ten different plagues sent one after the other. Each time Moses would pray. It was like God had ten launch buttons and ten antidote vials, releasing and recalling them at just the right time He said He would. Surely it is the power of God! All worth recording; all worth recalling again and again and again.

REFLECTION

Think of God’s goodness in your life. Count all His blessings. Recall how many times He had rescued you, comforted you, shown you that He loved you, and proved His faithfulness to you. Record them the best you can. Share them with others. Give glory to Him who is worthy of all our praise.

PRAYER

Dear heavenly Father, You have made the heavens and the earth. The heavens declare Your glory, and the skies proclaim the work of Your hands. You have made us, and You know us even before we were formed in our mother’s womb. You ordained our days before one of them even came to be. We have seen Your power not only in nature, not only through the Bible, but also in our lives. We praise You for never leaving us nor forsaking us. Allow us to always remember Your goodness in our lives. Compel us, Lord, to record them and share them so that Your name may be glorified. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.